Make links in pdf files open in Firefox?

June 25, 2008 10:28 AM

Why do links in pdf documents open in Explorer instead of Firefox?

I'm using Acrobat 6.0 to display documents containing links to web pages. Clicking on the links in the Acrobat window opens the corresponding web pages in Explorer instead of Firefox, my default browser. How can I make them open in Firefox, always?

(Dell Latitude D600, XP SP 2)

posted by Wet Spot to computers & internet (8 comments total)

Is Firefox set as the default browser?
(in Firefox: Tools > Options > Advanced (general). Click the Check Now button)
posted by meta_eli at 11:16 AM on June 25, 2008

Yes, Firefox is set as the default, and other programs open links in Firefox. Only acrobat wants to use explorer (and explorer itself). I looked through all the options in acrobat but could not find anything about choosing a specific browser. I also tried unclicking the option to enable access to explorer in the "set program access and defaults" in the control panel, to no effect.
posted by Wet Spot at 11:37 AM on June 25, 2008

What does it say in Acrobat: Edit > Preferences > Internet > Internet Settings > Programs? (Mine says "Internet Explorer is not the default / Make default" and a Set Programs button.)
posted by steef at 12:07 PM on June 25, 2008

In the Internet Properties > Programs panel, under "Internet programs", there are choices for HTML editor, E-mail, Newsgroups, Internet call, Calendar, and Contact list. Explorer is not chosen for any of them. There are two buttons, one is "Reset Web Settings" which says it will reset IE to the default home and search pages, and a "Manage Add-ons" which doesn't seem to have anything relevant. There is a checkbox for "Internet Explorer should check to see whether it is the default browser" which is unchecked.
posted by Wet Spot at 12:56 PM on June 25, 2008

This forum page says Firefox wasn't supported until Acrobat 7+:

After upgrading to 7.0.5... Acrobat now recognizes a Firefox default browser setting.

By the way, I kept checking with the interim patches, and it was not until .05 that it started working.

Sorry. Can you update?
posted by steef at 1:11 PM on June 25, 2008

Thanks, steef! I'll look into getting a more modern version, it looks like they're up to version 9. I'm three generations behind the times.
posted by Wet Spot at 1:24 PM on June 25, 2008

(Hastily updates own version of Acrobat.)
posted by steef at 1:47 PM on June 25, 2008

I realize this doesn't answer the question, but Foxit Reader is a more lightweight PDF reader.
posted by herbaliser at 2:34 PM on June 25, 2008